If your shower water never seems to be as hot as you would like it to be, don’t despair. You don’t have to resign to the sad fate of having to take cold or lukewarm showers forever.
Instead, there are ways to turn up the heat and restore the warm temperatures in your showers. Here is a guide on how to make your shower hotter:
1. Adjust the temperature of your water heater
If the hot water that flows through the faucets of all your sinks seems a little too cold, you can make it hotter by adjusting the temperature of your water heater.
Most water heaters are set to 120° F but can be set as high as 140° F. Simply find the control panel of your water heater and adjust the settings. You should start getting hotter water in your shower and throughout your home.
If your cold shower problem only happens during the winter, it makes even more sense to raise the temperature of your water heater during this season. After all, when the temperature outside is very cold, the water reaching your water heater will be much cooler than it is during the summer.
2. Thoroughly clean your shower head
Do you feel like your shower also has a low water pressure problem? Your showerhead might be dirty and partially clogged, which might explain why there isn’t as much water, as usual flowing through it. And if less water flows through your shower head, this water might also feel a little colder than usual.
Simply remove your shower head, and check if you can see some mineral build-up inside it. If it seems dirty, you can clean it by letting it soak in a bowl filled with white vinegar, to which you can add some baking soda.
Then, rinse your shower head and put it back in place. Check if the water flowing from it now seems hotter.
3. Adjust the scald guard of your shower system
It’s possible to adjust only the temperature of the water flowing from your shower head instead of adjusting your water heater. You can do this by adjusting the scald guard of your shower system.
A scald guard, also called an anti-scald valve, is designed to help keep water temperature consistent, even when someone else uses water in your household while you shower. It also prevents you from getting hit by a burst of very hot water.
Adjusting the scald guard lets you decide what you want your shower water’s maximum temperature.
The way to adjust your shower’s scald guard depends on the manufacturer of your system, but generally speaking, you will have to remove your shower handle and turn a dial or a screw.
If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, you can ask a plumber Mississauga for help.
4. Insulate your water pipes
Can you see some of the water pipes linked to your water heater? Where these pipes are placed in your home might be affected by freezing winter temperatures.
Adding some insulation to these exposed pipes can reduce heat loss and make your shower hotter, even when it’s cold outside.
The easiest way to insulate water pipes is to cover them with foam rolls, which are cheap to buy and easy to install. All you have to do is cover the pipe with a foam tube, then put some tape over the slit to keep the tube in place.
5. Repair or upgrade your water heater
Sometimes, wanting to make your shower hotter means getting your water heater repaired or even replaced with a brand new one.
Indeed, water heaters don’t last forever, and different things can go wrong with them and prevent you from getting the hot water you want.
- One of the internal heating elements of your water heater could be defective, making the whole unit less efficient.
- A sediment build-up in the bottom of the tank could make your water heater less effective and cause a leak.
- The thermostat of your water heater could be broken and not provide accurate readings.
- The tank could be too small to accommodate your family, and you might need a bigger tank to get a new water heater.
It could be a good idea to get your water heater serviced by a professional who will be able to fix these issues for you or to install a new device for you if necessary.
6. Consider getting a tankless water heater
Finally, getting a tankless water heater could be a good idea if you have a big family and you quickly run out of hot water when everyone wants to take a bath or a shower on the same day.
A tankless water heater instantly provides you with hot water when needed, and you can adjust it to the temperature of your choice.
